1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiper apparatus for wiping foreign substances adhering to a surface of a vehicular windshield such as rain water, snow, mud, dust or the like.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
In general, a wiper apparatus comprises a pivot holder to be attached to a vehicular body panel, a pivot pivotally supported by the pivot holder, a wiper arm having a base end fixed to an end of the pivot projected outward and a wiper blade fixed to a rocking tip end of the wiper arm for wiping a surface of a windshield.
The wiper blade and the wiper arm are positioned outside of the windshield and an end of the pivot to be fixed to the wiper arm projects from a surface of a car-body outward.
Therefore, the wiper arm and the end of the pivot are subject to an external impact load. If the impact load is applied directly, damage such as breaking may be caused.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the foregoing and one object of the invention is to provide a wiper apparatus capable of absorbing external impact.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention provides a wiper apparatus for a vehicle having a rocking wiper arm and a wiper blade attached to a tip end of the wiper arm for wiping a windshield, comprising a pivot fixed to a base end of the wiper arm; and a pivot holder attached to a car-body panel, pivotally supporting the pivot and movable toward inside of a car-body by a load applied from outside of the vehicle substantially in an axial direction of the pivot.
The pivot holder supporting the pivot is moved toward the inside of the car-body by a load applied from outside of the vehicle so that an impact load can be absorbed to minimize damage.
The pivot holder may be attached to the car-body panel through a section having low break strength.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction of the pivot, the section of low break strength is broken and the pivot holder is dropped out, or moved toward the inside of the car body, absorb a corresponding impact load.
The pivot holder may have a cylindrical bearing section and a flange formed on the cylindrical bearing section to be fixed to the car-body panel, and the section having low break strength may be constituted by a thin portion of the flange formed around the cylindrical bearing section.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the thin portion of the flange is broken to absorb an impact load.
The pivot holder may have a cylindrical bearing section and a cylindrical male screw portion projecting from the cylindrical bearing section through a section of low break strength, and may be tightened to the car-body panel by a nut engaging with the male screw portion.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the section of low break strength of the cylindrical male screw portion is broken and the pivot holder is dropped out to absorb a corresponding impact load.
A part of the car-body panel where the pivot holder is attached may be made so as to deform by the load in the axial direction.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the part of the car-body panel where the pivot is attached is loaded and deformed so that the pivot holder moves toward the inside of the car-body to absorb an impact load.
The wiper apparatus may have an attachment member for attaching the pivot holder to the car-body panel, which can be deformed or dropped out by the load in the axial direction.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the attachment member is deformed or dropped out so that the pivot holder moves toward inside of the car-body to absorb an impact load.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wiper apparatus for a vehicle having a rocking wiper arm and a wiper blade attached to a tip end of the wiper arm for wiping a windshield, comprising a pivot fixed to a base end of the wiper arm; a pivot holder attached to a car-body panel and pivotally supporting the pivot; and a load absorbing member provided outside of a section of the wiper arm where the pivot is fixed apart in an axial direction of the pivot.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the load absorbing member absorbs a corresponding impact load to minimize damage.
The load absorbing member may be a cover member covering an end of the pivot with an inner space interposed between the cover member and the pivot, having an inside rib adapted to be bent by a load applied in the axial direction of the pivot.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the cover member is loaded and displaced bending the rib to absorb a corresponding impact load.
The load absorbing member may be a cover member covering an end of the pivot with an inner space interposed between the cover member and the pivot, having a resilient member fitted inside.
When a load is applied from outside of the vehicle in the axial direction, the cover member covering an end of the pivot through the resilient member is loaded and displaced deforming elastically the resilient member to absorb a corresponding impact load.